Pac-12 football: Cal game-by-game predictions for 2016

This is the season Cal coach Sonny Dykes finally gets his signature victory.

This is the season Dykes finally ends the oh-fer streak against the teams that matter most to his constituents: Oregon and USC, UCLA and Stanford.

I’m just not sure when that signature victory comes. When you look at the games individually, identifying the win gets much tougher.

Lacking clarity, I picked the Bears to lose all four.

Cal fans will no doubt recognize the arc that I’ve projected for Year Four of the Dykes era. It looks much like the arcs of Year Two and Year Three: Strong start, weak finish. (The schedule, it seems, is always tougher in the second half.)

Will the defense improve? Can the Bears run the ball effectively when the situation demands it? Will quarterback Davis Webb make a smooth transition?

The Bears could very well be incrementally better in many aspects but not have the record to show for it because of two difficult non-conference games and the rugged North division lineup.

Oct. 15: Bye
Comment: The hearts say: Bad time for a break. The knees, ankles, quads and hamstrings say: Speak for yourself.

Oct. 21: vs. Oregon (Friday)
Result: Loss
Record: 5-2/3-1
Comment: In three games against the Dykes defense, Oregon has scored 55, 59 and 44 points. I’ll peg them for 31 this time and figure that will be enough. (btw: Oregon will also be off a bye.)

Nov. 19: vs. Stanford
Result: Loss
Record: 6-5/4-4
Comment: Is this the year the Bears finally slay their rival? (Last win: 2009.) It doesn’t feel that way, but I’d give them a better shot than they’ve had recently.

Nov. 26: vs. UCLA
Result: Loss
Record: 6-6/4-5
Comment: Circumstances could work in Cal’s favor: What if, for example, UCLA has the South locked up but is not in the playoff race? But given what we know right now — which is basically nothing — I’ll lean Bruins.